Europeans get special Rock Band treatment

When EA's Guitar Hero killer Rock Band lands later this year, our friends across the pond will get exclusive content. Supposedly there will be some localized songs in the PAL version of the game, and on all platforms too. PS2 owners will have to wait a little while, as their version arrives in early 08. I'm still waiting for them to announce a Wii version of Rock Band. Come on guys, is it that hard to port a PS2 game to the Wii? Everyone else seems to be doing it.

Rolling Stones, Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails and More Deepen the Catalog of On-Disc

Master Tracks Featured in Rock Band

Leipzig, Germany – August 22, 2007- Harmonix, the leading developer of music-based games, and MTV Games, a division of MTV Networks which is a division of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), along with distribution partner Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS), announced today plans to release the highly anticipated music videogame Rock Band™ on the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system in Europe in early 2008. As previously announced, Rock Band forthe Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION 3 system will be released in the U.S. this Holiday 2007.

Rock Bandfor the PlayStation 2 system will showcase many of the same challenging modes featured in the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 system versions, but will also debut new game elements specific to the platform. In addition, European versions of Rock Band will feature extensive localized music content for multiple territories, both on-disc and through downloadable content.

“The European continent’s rich and diverse musical pedigree transcends culture and language, which is why we are extremely pleased to announce Rock Band in Europe for early 2008,” stated Jeff Yapp, EVP, MTV Program Enterprises. “It was imperative that we have significant on-disc and downloadable localized music content for multiple European territories on the PlayStation 2 system, Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 system in order for Europeans to truly get the full Rock Band experience and interact with the music they love.”

In addition, ten new songs were revealed today at the Leipzig Games Convention, bringing the total of officially announced Rock Band on-disc songs to 26, including some of the greatest rock music ever created. The new songs, all original master recordings, are as follows: Rolling Stones “Gimme Shelter,” Deep Purple "Highway Star," The Clash “Should I Stay or Should I Go,” Faith No More "Epic,” Smashing Pumpkins “Cherub Rock,” Radiohead “Creep,” Beastie Boys “Sabotage,” Jet “Are You Gonna Be My Girl,” OK Go “Here It Goes Again,” and Nine Inch Nails “The Hand That Feeds.”

1980s
Rush "Tom Sawyer"*
Bon Jovi "Wanted Dead or Alive"
The Clash “Should I Stay or Should I Go”

Faith No More "Epic”

1990s

Foo Fighters “Learn to Fly”

Metallica “Enter Sandman”

Nirvana “In Bloom”

Stone Temple Pilots “Vasoline”

Weezer “Say It Ain’t So”

Smashing Pumpkins “Cherub Rock”

Radiohead “Creep”

Beastie Boys “Sabotage”

2000s

The Hives “Main Offender”

Queens of the Stone Age “Go With the Flow”

The Strokes “Reptilia”

Jet “Are You Gonna Be My Girl”

OK Go “Here It Goes Again”

Nine Inch Nails “The Hand That Feeds”

*Indicates a cover song, all other songs are original master recordings

Rock Band is a new platform for music fans and gamers to interact with music like never before, challenging users to master the lead/bass guitar, drums, and vocals as solo artists or cooperatively as part of their own band. Built on unprecedented deals with the world’s biggest record labels and music publishers, the music featured in Rock Band will span all genres of rock and will include many master recordings from the greatest songs and artists of all time. Rock Band garnered the most nominations (five) and awards (three) at this year’s Game Critics Awards: Best of E3 2007 including Best of Show.

EA will serve as the exclusive distribution and marketing partner for Rock Band, managing distribution for the game in US, Europe and Australia. For more information on Rock Band and Harmonix Music Systems please visit www.rockband.com and www.harmonixmusic.com.